ArtsWestchester Reopens its Gallery with a COVID Exhibit: Featuring artwork by 224 Hudson Valley Artists

ArtsWestchester Reopens its Gallery with a COVID Exhibit: Featuring artwork by 224 Hudson Valley Artists

On View to the Public: Friday, May 7 – Sunday, August 1, 2021
Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Friday & Sunday 12:00pm to 5:00pm | Saturday – 12:00pm to 6:00pm
Entry is every 30 minutes

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (April 6, 2021) – ArtsWestchester will reopen its gallery on May 7 with “Together apART: Creating During COVID,” an exhibition that reflects our shared experience during the year of the pandemic through more than 250 works of painting, photography, sculpture, craft, song, and other creative activities by 224 Hudson Valley artists.

“Together apART” is an exhibition of the creative projects that gave meaning and purpose to our lives at an unprecedented time. The diverse range of expressions reflect individual contemplations on the year of the pandemic, yet also highlight the shared experiences of this unique period in our common history — the togetherness in an era of apartness.

CEO of ArtsWestchester Janet Langsam explains, “COVID-19 has profoundly changed the contours of our daily lives. At this time of great loss and physical distancing, many of us have turned to creative outlets to help us cope, to express our anguish, and to gain agency when we feel helpless.”

Contributing artist Loretta Butler of Pleasantville explains of her experience during the pandemic, “I wrote because I was compelled to, not just to document what was happening, but to help me process it. Chronicling the events as they occurred allowed me to see them as they were. By doing so, it made them believable and grounded me in this moment in history. As the facts and science evolved and changed on a weekly basis, there were always new things to absorb and deal with.”

Deputy Director and Curator Kathleen Reckling says, “Creativity helps us to reclaim a connection to our friends, families, and self. Throughout the last year, we have found new ways to celebrate and mourn, to recognize and memorialize major life events from weddings to passings. We have documented our experiences in quarantine diaries and creative cookbooks. We have endeavored to protect our loved ones and those on the frontlines with handcrafted masks. We have painted the scenes and changing seasons from our windows, and captured the faces of our ‘quarantine teams’ in photo and gouache.”

ArtsWestchester is committed to fostering a safe and welcoming environment for all. Its historic Bank & Trust Building at 31 Mamaroneck Ave. features 4,800ft² of presentation space, soaring 20-foot high ceilings and distinctive palladium windows, making it a unique venue to experience the work of Hudson Valley Regional artists in thematic, community-centered programs. The health and safety of visitors is a top priority. ArtsWestchester is committed to following guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), New York State, and Westchester County for increased health and safety procedures. All visitors to the gallery will be required to register for an entry time and complete a COVID-19 screening survey prior to entering the gallery. All staff and visitors will also be required to wear a face mask, maintain physical distancing, and observe all traffic flow instructions while in the gallery. Hand sanitizer will be available throughout the exhibition. Entry is free, with a suggested donation of $5.

The exhibition is curated by Deputy Director Kathleen Reckling, Director of Folk Arts Aaron Paige and ArtsWestchester’s Gallery Coordinator Logan Hanley.

Sponsored by: Westchester Magazine

Photos for download: https://www.flickr.com/photos/artswestchester/albums/72157718865220691

Contact: Ernie Garcia, Thompson & Bender, ernie@thompson-bender.com or 914-844-3780

Exhibiting Artists:

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About ArtsWestchester  For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest, private, not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to provide leadership, vision, and support, to ensure the availability, accessibility, and diversity of the arts. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations, and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building in downtown White Plains.

About ArtsWestchester

For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest private not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to create an equitable, inclusive, vibrant and sustainable Westchester County in which the arts are integral to and integrated into every facet of life. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue. artsw.org